Starter for electrical translating devices



July 10, 1923. IlAl-QBIWSS F. G. KEYES STARTER FOR ELECTRICAL TRANSLAT'ING DEVICES Filed July 2, 1918' j I g WQ U HTOZ 3:11 GT0: nm 7 ./v

Patented July 1%, 1923.

FREDERICK G. KEYES, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO COOPER 'HEVVI'I'T v t an cr tics,

ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STARTER FOR ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING DEVICES.

Application filed July 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. Knrns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hoboken, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Starters for Electrical Translating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus and systems for high tension electric discharges and the application there of to various purposes, such for instance as the starting of so-called mercury-vapor lamps, ignition devices for automo ile engines, and similar uses.

The invention consists of a novel form of circuit interrupter and systems of circuits to which it is applicable and other features hereinafter described.

Tn the accompanying drawings the 'circuit interrupter is shown as applied to a mercury vapor lamp circuit.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents an evacuated enclosing vessel of suitable material, glass for instance, 2 and 3 are leading-in conductors sealed through the walls oi the vessel. At the bottom of the vessel is a small quantity of mercury, 4, or other suitable material into which dips the end of small metal rod, 5, the end being pref erably of platinum or iridium or other suitable material, although it may be of iron. The rod 5 is hinged at 6 so that it may be freely swun laterally and thus the end may be separate from the mercury. The hinge is supported from the leading-in conductor at the top of the vessel. The rod also carries a small block of iron, 7, which mrves as an armature for permitting the rod to be moved magnetically. A. stationary skirt, 8, surrounds the upper portion of the pendulum rod and prevents the end from contacting with the wall of the vessel.

Tn the organization shown 9 and 10 represent the two wires of a supply system for a lamp, 111, which to be started requires to havea high difference of potential impressed upon its terminals 12 and 13. The terminal, 12, is connected with the supply con.- ductor 9 and the terminal 13 is connected with the conductor 10, through an adjustable resistance, 14, and an inductance, 15,

. the core,'16, of which is presented to the 1918. Serial No. 243,012.

will be attracted and serve to draw the rod. away from the mercury. A. conductor, 17, leads from one terminal of the lamp, 11, through a starting resistance, 18, to one leading-in conductor of the interrupter, and a conductor, 19, connects the other leadingin conductor of the interrupter to the other terminal of the lamp.

When the apparatus is in the position shown in the drawing, if a switch, 21, is closed, current will flow from the supply circuit through the interrupter, 1, the starting resistance 18, the inductance 15, back to the supply circuit. Immediately the magnetism of the core 16 will draw the rod from the mercury and thus interrupt the initial circuit. The discharge of the inductance device 15 will impress the requisite electro-motive force upon the lamp to cause it to start in a well-known manner. The circuit will then be complete from one supply conductor through the lamp to the adjustable series resistance 14, thence through the inductance 15, back to the other side of the supply circuit.

The proportions of the inductances and the adjustable series resistances and. the starting resistance best suited to the purposes may readily be determined to suit the various requirements by well-known rules.

It will be understood that when the core 16 becomes demagnetized the pendulum rod of the interrupter will return to its original position.

This interrupter T have found will produce a quick decisive break in the starting circuit, such as is most desirable for occasioning the efiective discharge action of the inductance device. It is, moreover, very durable, in that operating in a closed exhausted vessel it is not liable to corrosion.

T have also discovered that even when operated with alternating currents the discharge is unidirectional, a feature which is of great importance in connection with various classes of apparatus, such for instance as X-ray tubes.

I claim as my invention:

1. A circuit interrupter comprising a stationary container, a liquid negative electrode, and a solid positive electrode, the positive electrodebeing movably mounted in said container, and means for preventin contact between the movable electrode and the container wall.

2. A circuit interrupter comprisin a stationary container, a liquid and a so id terminal therein, one of which is movable with respect to the other, and means for preventing contact between one of said ter niinals and the container wall.

3. A circuit interrupter comprising a stationary container, :1 liquid and a solid terminal therein, one of which terminals swings into and out of contact with the other terminal, and means for preventing contact between the swinging terminal and the container wall.

4;. A circuit interrupter comprising a stationary container, terminals therein, one of which terminals is a pendulum, and a skirt surrounding the pivoted end of the pendulum.

5. A circuit interrupter comprisin a container, a liquid and a solid terminal therein, said solid terminal 'being a weighted pendulum.

6. A circuit interrupter comprising a of a weighted pendulum, and a movement confining skirt surrounding the pivoted end of the pendulum.

Signed at city of .Paris, in' the Republic 40 of France, this 30th day of April, A. D. 1918. FREDERICK G. KEYES.

Witnesses:

CHAS. P. Pnnssmr, ALONZO C. Yarns. 

